Exploring temples in Bangkok
With ornate, golden decorations and towering Buddha images, temples are one of the most sacred parts of Thai culture. They serve as one of the country’s most important historic symbols, and offer awe-inspiring architecture and beauty. It is hard not to be impressed by these works of art.
Visiting temples are a must when coming to Bangkok, as it offers a unique view into traditional Thai culture. You get a glimpse of the daily lives of many people, their values and beliefs. Investing your time and learning about the culture of the places you’re visiting, can be one of the most rewarding experiences when travelling.
This Temple Guide is perfect for those of you who are new to Bangkok and want some help in navigating a foreign city and figuring out how to spend your time there. Bangkok is one of the largest cities in the world, and it is home to thousands of temples. I have, however narrowed it down to a few of the most well-known and spectacular temples in and around the city.
Practical tips for visiting temples in Bangkok
For your first visit to the temples in Bangkok, you want to make sure to find a good balance between exploring the temples, learning about the history, and getting between them comfortably and safely. You also want to avoid the mistakes that can turn your day into a stress-fest, which is why I am sharing a few practical tips below:
Exploring and navigating between temples
- Many of the temples are, at least partially located outside. There are vast, open spaces where the sun will shine straight on you. Bring water, as it gets really hot, as well as sunscreen. Our tour guide carried an umbrella to shield himself from the sun, which is also a great tip if you don’t mind carrying it.
- Check the locations of the temples carefully before you decide to walk between them. Many temples appear as if they are right next to each other, but double-check that carefully by using Google Maps and make sure that there’s a safe path for you to walk.
- The weather is really hot, and traffic is heavy. Walking can get exhausting and unsafe.
- Most temples are easy to access through an arranged tour or simply by grabbing a taxi. I enjoyed exploring many of the temples in this guide on a private tour, which is linked here.
- We got a great tour guide, and I can highly recommend Amazing Asia Tours for private tours when visiting Bangkok.
- Taking a pre-arranged tour is perfect when you are unfamiliar with the city and don’t feel comfortable navigating on your own. Don’t travel around on your own unless you are genuinely comfortable with it. This is your trip, and you need to figure out what works for you in order to have the best time possible.
- Keep in mind that you will be able to do more in a smaller amount of time if you’re on a private, pre-arranged tour with locals who know the area and language.
Local customs and crowds
- Respect local customs and dress code. Wear clothes covering your knees and shoulders at the temples. The temple dress code is strict, and you are expected to follow it. I didn’t really plan for that and had only packed a bunch of floral dresses, which called for a shopping trip to MBK Shopping Center for a pair of pants before scheduling our temple day.
- Be early if you want to avoid crowds.
- Always have smaller bills with you for tipping and smaller purchases, as well as donations in the temples.
Other practical tips
- For a lunch break when visiting the temples, I’d recommend Mango Tree Restaurant. I’ve written more about it here. This is where I had my best Phad Thai and fruit juices so far in life!
- Depending on how you want to travel, and how many temples you want to fit into one day, you can easily customize the tips and ideas below when adding it to your own Bangkok itinerary. If you have any questions or want to discuss anything about it, feel free to contact me. I’d love to help you get the most out of your trip.
Wat Saket – Temple of the Golden Mount
Wat Saket is probably my favorite among the temples in Bangkok, and I’m going to explain why. It is located on a mountain, surrounded by lush greenery and gardens which makes it stunning to walk around, as well as a perfect spot for seeing Bangkok from above.
There are many steps to climb to the top, but there are also plenty of resting spots to explore as you go up. Also, the view is totally worth the hike.
The stairs are overgrown with vines and trees 
Exploring the surroundings in my temple-appropriate attire
The temple has a dark history as a crematorium and cemetery of plague victims, which feels far away from its present beauty.
The gardens are quaint and relaxing. It is hard to believe that you’re in one of the largest cities of the world. 
The temple from below once you have walked down the stairs again
The temple is open every day from 9 AM to 7 PM and there is a 50 THB admission fee, it is however usually free if part of an arranged tour.
More shots of the stunning views 
Such a fascinating mix of modern and traditional architecture in this shot
Wat Pho – Temple of the reclining Buddha
Commonly known for its giant reclining Buddha, Wat Pho is the tourist magnet you don’t want to miss when in Bangkok. Explore the lush grounds and ornate structures, walk alongside the 46 metre long Buddha and admire the ostentatious decor inside the temple. This complex is home to over a thousand Buddha images and supposedly also where the traditional Thai Massage originated.
Painted walls inside the building with the reclining Buddha, Wat Pho 
In my temple attire in the courtyard of Wat Pho
Beautiful details at Wat Pho 
A few exterior shots from the courtyard of Wat Pho
The Phra Ubosot – Ordination hall used to perform Buddhist rituals 
The lush grounds and gardens
Wat Arun – Temple of Dawn
The Eiffel Tower of the East is best seen from the water and sure not to be missed when visiting Bangkok. The locals are proud of Wat Arun, which was originally built before the 1600’s. Their pride is understandable when you see the structure towering over the Chao Phraya River, just on the opposite side of the Grand Palace. It lits up at night, which also makes it a main attraction for the evening boat cruises on the river.
Although admirable from the water, It is possible to visit the temple for a small entrance fee of 50 baht. The entrance ticket also allows you to climb to the top, which gives you a beautiful view of the Chao Phraya River and the city which has formed around it.
Wat Arun by day
I never visited this particular temple itself, but I did get admire it from the water. Wat Arun was part of our tour of the Bangkok Canals, included in our Temple tour with Amazing Asia Tours. You can find and book the tour for yourself here. Our guide Gui Tar helped us out with everything from transport (by car and boat) to guiding us around, taking couple photos and having lunch with us. He also shared plenty of interesting stories about the temples, Bangkok, his own life and experiences.
Wat Arun by night
If you want to see this beauty by night, I recommend taking one of the many dinner cruises. These are available for departure every night. Note that the cruises vary in quality and pricing. We took a cruise with Amazing Asia Tours, linked here. I would, however not recommend it. The operators of the cruise were too pushy, asking everyone to tip multiple times on top of already listed service charges.
If I were to go for a new Dinner Cruise, I’d try this one out. The reviews are good, and I want to believe that a cruise which is part of the Shangri-La Hotel concept offers a high-quality experience.
Wat Traimit – Temple of The Golden Buddha
Inside Wat Traimit, you will find a Buddha made of pure gold. It weighs over 5,5 tonnes and measures about three metres (9,8 ft). The Buddha can be dissembled with a key which also allows for easier transportation. The Buddha has an estimated worth of $ 250 million.
History of the Golden Buddha
To me, the most fascinating part of the story of the Golden Buddha, is not that it’s made of pure gold, but used to be covered with a layer of stucco and coloured glass. It remained so for over 200 years, and was rather insignificant until 1955.
The concealed statue was left at the ruins of the Ayutthaya Temples before being moved in 1801, when the new King ordered that Buddha images from ruined temples around the country should be brought to Bangkok.
Part of the concealment fell off in 1955. Once the gold was discovered, they gave the Buddha a prime spot at Wat Traimit. The remnants of the concealment and the history of the Buddha are on public display as well.
The story about the Golden Buddha is definitely intriguing. While smaller than other Buddhas you will see in Thailand, its history, radiant golden surface and intricate details will leave you in awe.
Ayutthaya Temples
About an hour north of Bangkok, you will find the Ayutthaya Temple ruins, commonly called Ayutthaya Historic Park. Unesco has deemed parts of Aytthaya as a World Heritage site. The ruins are commonly compared to Angkor Wat in neighbouring Cambodia. While I have yet to explore Ayutthaya myself, I learned that Amazing Asia Tours operates a private day tour to the ruins. Although I am considering Amazing Asia Tours, based on previous experience, I am interested in visiting independently. That would enable us to bicycle around the ruins and explore the area at our own pace.
I learned about Ayutthaya on our trip to Thailand, but unfortunately did not manage to visit. It remains at the top of my priority list for when I return to Bangkok.
The Grand Palace
As the official residence of the Kings of Thailand since 1782, and commonly used as a site for royal ceremonies and state functions, the Grand Palace is one of the most famous tourist sights in all of Bangkok. It is made up of numerous buildings, halls, pavilions set around open lawns, gardens and courtyards. Although partially open to the public, it is mainly a working palace with several royal offices inside.
The Grand Palace is inspired by, and and partially designed to follow the organization and structure of the Ayutthaya ruins.
Wat Phra Kaew is a part of The Grand Palace. This is also where they keep the famous Emerald Buddha.
Opening hours of the Grand Palace
The opening hours of the Grand Palace varies and may change with short notice. I know from firsthand experience, as The Palace was intended to be part of our Temple Tour. However, our hotel informed us that The Palace was closed for the Kings birthday, on the day before our tour.
There is a common tourist scam circling about the palace randomly closing at certain times. People tend to hang out in the area waiting for tourists to fool. Scammers may approach you, saying that the Palace is closed. Instead, they want you to join them for cheap suits or some other kind of bait.
Usually, these people are quite harmless. They may want to take you somewhere far off and try to trick you into buying overpriced things. This is a common Bangkok scam, and I can recommend staying away from TukTuks in general. They usually overcharge, and there is always a risk for detours.
Part of the palace seen from the water on our tour of the Bangkok canals 
Part of The Grand Palace seen from the road
However, they had actually closed the Grand Palace on the day of our tour. We didn’t have more days in Bangkok to reschedule for, but got to visit plenty of other beautiful temples instead. The Grand Palace does, however remain on top of the Bangkok bucket list for next time.
I hope that you, by now have a better idea of how to navigate the temples in Bangkok. I hope I’ve also managed to add a few temples to your bucket list or travel itinerary. Visiting temples is a true highlight of any Thailand trip, and I can highly recommend it!
What are your favorite temples in and around Bangkok? Please let me know in the comments!
